Stamp-vending machine



J. J. SCHERMACK.

$TAMP VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 050.11, 1917.

1,488,265. I Patented Dec. 12,1922.

1SHEETSSHEET I.

J. J. SCHERMACK.

STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 050.17. 1917.

1,438,265, Patented Dec. 12,1922.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Dc. 11.19n.

1,438,265. Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17. 19]].

1,438,265, Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 05c. 17. 1911.

1,438,265, Patented Dec. 12, 1922.

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1, J. SCHERMACK'.

STAMP VENDING MACH-I'NE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 11, I9!7.

1,438,265. .Patnted Dec. 12,1922.

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STAMP VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DECAY. 1917.

1,438,265 Patented Dec. 12,1922.

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JOSEPH J. SCHEBCK, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE SOHEBMACK COR- POEA'I'ION, OF DETROIT, MIGHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

STAMP-VENDING MACHINE.

Application filed December 17,1917. Serial No. 207,580.

To allwhomitmay concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn J. SCHER- MACK, a citizen of the United States of America, residin of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements' in Stamp-Vending Machines, of which-the following is a specification, reference being. had therein to the accompanying drawings. a

This invention relates to stamp vending machines, and may be considered as an improvement in connection with that type of machine disclosed by my patent granted Dec. 18, 1917, No. 1,250,517. The present invention aims to provide a simple and compact machine that may be easily and quickly operated to vend or dispense a predetermined number of stamps, tickets, coupons or other articles in strip form by depositing a prescribed coin in the machine. The machine has been especially designed for dispensing postage stamps and it may be ad- I vantageously used in postoflices, railroad stations, stores and other places where the public may desire stamps.

My invention aims to provide a machine of the above type wherein positive and reliable means are employed, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, for automatically gripping a strip of stamps, feeding a predetermined number of stamps out of the machine, and then severing the predetermined number of stamps from its strip, and all of this, is accomplished with precision, no injury to the stamps, and in a manner that prohibits stamps from being surreptitiously obtained.

My invention includes cooperating instrumentalities that will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan of the machine, with the outer casing thereof removed, showing the mechanism in normal position, and the spool or roll holder in an inactive position and devoid of aroll of stamps;

(r at Detroit, in the county Fig. 2 is an elevation of one side of the machine with the casing removed;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the opposite side of the machine with a side wall of the coin chute removed;

Fig. 4 is a plan of the main operating mechanism removed from the machine and shown in normal condition;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a coin carrying'wheeland locking pawl, showing the wheel locked and a coin in position to release the locking pawl of the wheel;

Fig. 7 is a side view of a tiltable .feed roller and its controlling mechanism;

Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive are views similar to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, showing the same mechanisms as partially operated, particularly the actuation of a locking pawl by a coin and the release of the mechanism for further operation preparatory to feeding a strip of stamps;

Figs. 12 to 15 inclusive are views similar to Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, showing the same mechanisms further actuated; 7 Fig. 16 is a side elevation of a strip frame and detachable guide;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of a detachable guide;

Fig. 18 is'a front elevation of a portion of the machine showing the knife;

Fig. 19 is a longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the strip frame showing the feeder and feeder wheel engaging astrip of stamps; and

Fig. 20 .is a similarview showing the feeder moved out of engagement with the strip of stamps.

In describing my invention by aid of the views above referred to, I desire to point out that the same are intended as merely illustrative of the vending machine as new constructed and in use, and I do not care'to tute const uct ons and arrangements of parts I which are the obvious equivalent of those to be hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 denotes a base that is rectangular in form and adapted for supporting a casing (not shown). The casing may be of any suitable design and has openings or slots adapted to permit of a coin being placed in the machine, stamps removed therefrom and an operating crank manipulated in front of the casing. The casing forms no part of the present invention and any suitable housing' may be employed for enclosing the stamp vending or dispensing mechanism.

Mounted on the base 1, contiguous to the forward edge thereof, is an upright 2 and suitably connected to said upright is a hearing 3 having side arms 4 and 5 and a rearwardly extending strip frame 6. Journaled in the upper ends of the arms 4 and 5 is a transverse main shaft 7, and mounted on this shaft, adjacent the arm 4 isa small beveled gear wheel 8 meshing with a beveled gear wheel 9 mounted on an operating shaft 10, journaled in a bearing 11 supported from the arm 4. The outer end of the shaft 10 has a suitable operating crank or handle 12, so that a rotary movement may be imparted to the main shaft 7. Mounted on the main shaft 7 is a hub 13 and at one end of said hub is a cam 14 having an abrupt release portion 15, as best shown in Figures 4 and 5. At the opposite end of the hub 13 is a feeder wheel 16 having the periphery thereof knurled, toothed or otherwise roughened so as to: frictionally feed stamps from the machine.

On that side of the feeder wheel 16, confronting the cam 14, is a feeder devicecomprising a casing 17 containing a plurahty of spring pressed yieldable fingers 18 and these fingers have small protruding ends adapted to enter the perforations of astrip of stamps 19, said perforations being the customary form providing weakened severing or tearing portions between stamps. The feeding device is brought into action during a portion of the rotation of the feeder wheel, and said device will accurately position the strip of stamps so that a predetermined number of stamps may be severed from the strip and dispensed by the machine.

On the shaft 7, adjacentthe inner side of the arm 5 are two actuating cams 20 and 21 for controlling the operation of a feed roller, to be hereinafter referred to, and on the shaft 7 at the outer side of the arm 5 is a coin wheel 22. The inner side of the wheel has two projections 23 and 24 and adapted to extend between these projections and engage either, preferably the former is a tooth 25 of a locking pawl 26. The locking pawl 26 is pivotally mounted on a stud 27 carried by a coin chute 28 suitably connected to the frames 3 and 6, as at 29. Ad-

side thereof formed to messes jacent the stud 27 is another stud 30 and this stud is connected by a coiled retractilcspring 31 to the locking pawl 26, so as to normally hold said pawl in engagement with one of the projections 23 or- 24 of the coin Wheel 22. With the pawl tooth 25 be tween the projections 23 and 24, the shaft 7- and virtually the entire machine is locked until a coin is deposited in the machine.

.The locking pawl 26 has a side extension 32 and thisside extension overlies the coin wheel 22, and said coin wheel has the outer rovide a pocket 33 t6 receive a coin 34. he coin 34 is conducted to the pocket 33 by the coin chute 28, and said coin chute has a detachable wall 35. The coin chute and the detachable wall are shaped to guide the coin from the open upper end thereof to the coin wheel 22, and from said coin wheel to the base 1 of the machine or a suitable coin receptacle placed thereon.

The coin 34 in the pocket 33 of the coin Wheel 22 is adapted to engage'and raise the locking pawl 26 when the shaft 7 is rotated, and said coin-will eventually fall out of the pocket 33, as the shaft rotates, and release the locking pawl, which drops by gravity, so that the side projection 32 thereof may engage two series of teeth 36 and 37 on the periphery of'the coin wheel, these teeth cooperating with the locking pawl in preventing a counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 7. By using two series of teeth, is is unnecessary to form teeth on the entire periphery of the coin wheel.

Pivoted in the frame 3 is a tiltable feed roller carrier' 38 and this carrier is located below the strip frame 6 and'connected thereto by a coiled retractile spring 39, said spring tending to elevate the carrier 38. J ournaled in the carrier 38 is a feed roller 40 having the periphery thereof knurled or roughened so as to frictionally engage the underside of a strip of stamps and cooperate with the feeder wheel .16, in shifting a strip of stamps in the machine.

One end of the carrier 38 has a curved arm 41-provided with a lug 42. The arm 41 has the upper end thereof provided with an offset portion 43 engaged by the cam 21 and this cam holds the carrier 38 normally in an inactive position. With the arm 41 in engagement with the cam 21, it is obvious that the spring 39 would tend to elevate the carrier 38 and rotate the shaft 7 counterclockwise, but this is prohibited by the locking pawl 26 engaging the projection 23 of the coin Wheel 22. The cam 21 may however, further lower the carrier 38 when the looking pawl is raised to permit of the shaft 7 being rotated, and by the-time this is accomplished, the cam 20 is in the path of the lug 42- on the curved arm 41 and the feed roller will be retained in inactive position until the cam 20 abruptly releases the lug 42, thereby allowing the sprin 39 to raise the carrier 38 and place the feed roller thereof in an active position.

The strip'frameG has a slot or opening 44 to provide clearance forthe feed roller 46 as best shown in Fig. 20, and said feed roller cooperates with the feeder wheel and its feeding device in moving the strip .of stamps 19. The strip frame 6 has theupper face thereof recessed, as at 45, so as to provide clearance for the fingers 18: of the I feeding device 19, thus allowing the fingers.

to enter the perforations of the stamps.

On the upper end of the upri ht 2 and at the forward end of the strlp rame 6' is a guard'and guide member 46 for the outer end of a strip of stamps, and at theinner knife arm 48 has the forward end thereof connected by a strong retractile spring 50 to the upright 2 and the forward end of said arm is also provided'with a projection 51 extending into an opening 52' provided therefor in a knife blade 53. The knife blade 53 has oneend thereof provided with a bearing 54 on a stud 55 carried by the arm 4, and said knife blade is held normally 4 lowered between the forward or outer end of the strip frame 6 and the guard or guide 46 by the retractile spring 50. To assist, however in raising the knife blade 53, a retractile spring 56 of less retractile force than the spring 50 connects the upper edge of the knife blade 53 to the stud 30, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The cam 14 is adapted to raise the knife arm 48 and thus suddenly release the same, so that the knife blade 53 will sever a strip of stamps. extending from the feeding mechanism into and through the ard and guide 46.

The stud 4 7 also serves as a pivot for a spool or stamp roll holder 57 having a central spindle 58 on which may be placed a roll of stamps 59 from which the strip 19 is unwound onto the frame 6. The pivoted end of the spool or roll holder 57 has a lug 60 adapted toimpinge against the end of the strip frame 6 and limit the 0 ening movement of the spool which has en shown in open position by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and when in such position a roll of stamps can be easily placed on the spool.- The spindle 58 of the spool is adapted to extend into slots 61 in an extension 62 of the coin chute 28, and thespindle engaging the end wall of the slot defines the closed position of the spool, as shown in full lines in Fig.2 of the drawings.

The strip frame v 6is provided with a de- 1 tachable strip guide, best shown in-Figs. 16 and 17, as comprising a U-shaped member 63 having parallel side arms 64. The side arms 64 are connected by a transverse pin 65 and the protruding ends of this pin are ada ted to engage side hook shaped lugs 66 carried by the strip frame 6.1 The ends of the pin-65 are'retained in engagement with the lugs 66 by the side ears 67 of a pivoted 'sprin ,pressed keeper 68, carried by the lower side of the strip frame6. The outer end of the keeper 68 may be pressed toward the strip frame 6 to shift the ears 67 and release the pin 65. 1

The member 63 has a rearwardly projecting side handle 69 to facilitate its installation and removal to and from the strip frame 6, and the inner side of said'member has a forwardly projecting spring or retaining member 70 adapted to frictionally en,- gage under the shaft 7 and hold the forward or outer end of the arm 64 on the strip frame 6. One of the arins 64 has an inwardly projecting wire frame 71 and this frame is adapted to engagev the strip of stamps 19 on'the frame 6, said strip of stamps extending under the member 63 and forwardly'of the frame 6 so as to be engaged by the feeder wheel 16, the feed roller 40 and the feeding device 17 the frame 71 providing clearance for. said feeding device. a

The extension 62 of the coin chute 28 has a registering device 72, preferably of the Veeder. type. and this registering device depress a coin release. member 76 pivoted on the lower end of the chute extension 62 has the arbor thereof provided with a crank 73 connectedby a link 74 to an actuating and held normally against the member 75 by a coiled retractile spring 77 connecting said release member to the lower portion of the chute. The release member 76 has a side extension 78 in the path of coins that may pass out of the lower end of the coin chute,-

and said release member will release a coin from the chute, while the registering devicecondition.

' locking pawl is elevated and With thespool 57 swung to an inactive position and the guide member 63 removed, the strip of stamps 19 can be fed into the machine between the feeder wheel 16 and the feed roller 46, with the forwardmost stamp of the strip abutting against the lowered knife blade 53. The detachable guide member can then be placed in position, the spool 57 swung to an active position, and the machine is nowin position to receive a coin. Assuming that a proper coin has been deposited, inthe chute'and descended into the pocket 33 of the coin wheel 22, the initialmovement of the crank orhandle 12 starts the rotating movement of the shaft 7 and as the coin 34 impinges against the side extension 32 of the locking pawl 26, said ermitsfurther rotative movement of the s aft 7.

As the cam 21 engages the end of the curved arm 41 of the tiltable feed roller carrier 38, said carrier will be at first lowered so that there can be 'no feedin operation during the initial rotation of t e shaft 7, and then when the cam 21 rides out of engagement'with the arm 41, the arm 41 will rebound and place the lug 42 of said arm in engagement with the cam 20. By this time the locking pawl 26 is engaging the teeth 36 to prevent a counterclockwise move ment of the shaft 7; the feeding device 17 is approaching the strip of stamps 19, and the cam 14 is engaging the knife arm 48 to raise said arm and the knife blade 53. As the shaft is further revolved, the feeding device 17 first engages the strip of stamps and correctly positions the strip according to its perforations by the fingers 18 of the feeding device engaging in the perforations of the strip. The cam 20 abruptly releases the arm 41 and the retractile force of the spring 39 places the feed roller in enga ment with the lower face of the strip 0 stamps 19.

The strip of stamps having been properly" positioncd'or gauged by the feedin device is now frictionally held between t e feeder blade 53 has been fully elevated and coin 34 released from the coin wheel 22. The lock-' ing pawl 26 continues to recede' over the teeth 36 of the coin wheel 22 and the feeder wheel and feed roller cooperate in moving the strip after the feeding device 17- has passed out of engagement therewith. The

Iyzieldable fingers 18 will not pierce a stamp, ut will yield when engaging the body of a stamp until a row of perforations is encoune machine in operative to deliver a messes tered, when the fingers will enter the per foratlons and assist in corectly positioning the strip of'stamps so that when the strip is further moved a predetermined number of stamps will have been shifted to be correctly severed from the strip.

Further rotation of the shaft 7 causes the cam 14 to eventually release the knife arm 48,'and the retractile force of the spring 50 causes the knife blade 53 to descend with considerable force and sever those stamps protruding through the guard and guide 46 from the stamps on the strip frame 6. By reference to Fig. 4, it willbenoted that the knife blade 53 1s shaped so as to have a cuttin action at both edges of the stamp strip an in this manner the stamps may be sevthe-shaft 7 is held against further rotative movement, until another coin is deposited in the machine. I

It will be noted that by changing the coin wheel, cams and other elements associated with the shaft 7, the machine may be made rescribed number of stamps, tickets or similar articles for a coin.

. What I claim is 1. In a stamp vending machine, a shaft, a

feeder wheel on said shaft, a feeding device 7 carried by said wheel and adapted to position a strip of stamps during initial rotation of said shaft, a pivoted frame below said shaft and pivotally supported from a plane in front of said shaft, a feed roller carried thereby and adapted to cooperate with said feeder wheel in moving the strip of stamps an arm carried by said pivoted frame an extending upwardly in the rear of said shaft, a lug on said arm, said arm having a side'projection, a cam on said shaft adapted to engage the 'ofiset portion of said arm and hold said frame and feed roller inactive durin initial movement of said shaft, a cam on sa1d shaft adapted to engage the lug of said arm and release said frame so that the feed iroller may cooperate with the feeder wheel in movin the strip of stamps, a spring actuwheel 16 and the feed roller 40. The knife ated kni eiarm adjacent said shaft and a cam on said shaft adapted to shift sald knife arm and stress the spring thereof and release said arm so that the strlp of stamps will be old said shaft against rota- 13otion, said pawl being pivoted and adapted to In testimony whereof I affix mv signature 10 be elevated to release said wheel and shaft in the presence of two witnesses.

for rotation, a side projection on said pawl, 21 series ofteeth on said wheel adapted to be engaged by the side projection of said pawl when the side projections of said wheel are away from said pawl, and stamp feeding mechanism adapted to be actuted by said shaft.

JOSEPH J. SCHERMAGK. 

